U.S. patent application number 11/565824 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-05 for call hold enhancement for improved user feedback.
This patent application is currently assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gregory J. Boss, Rick Hamilton, John S. Langford, Timothy M. Waters.
Application Number | 20080130865 11/565824 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39475761 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080130865 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boss; Gregory J. ; et
al. |
June 5, 2008 |
CALL HOLD ENHANCEMENT FOR IMPROVED USER FEEDBACK
Abstract
A method for the enhancement of a call on-hold operation by the
utilization of on-hold calling party feedback information, wherein
the method comprises the steps of initiating a primary call from an
operator of a communication device, receiving the primary call at a
call center, and placing the primary call received at the call
center from the communication device in a primary on-hold status
state, and placing the on-hold received primary call in an incoming
call queue at the call center. Further, the primary call is placed
in a secondary on-hold status by the actions of the communication
device in order for the communication device to receive a secondary
call, the primary call's position in the call queue is maintained,
and a response from the communication device is transmitted to the
call center upon the call center's suspension of the on-hold status
of the primary call.
Inventors: |
Boss; Gregory J.; (American
Fork, UT) ; Hamilton; Rick; (Charlottesville, VA)
; Langford; John S.; (Austin, TX) ; Waters;
Timothy M.; (Hiram, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN LLP - IBM AUSTIN
20 Church Street, 22nd Floor
Hartford
CT
06103
US
|
Assignee: |
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
CORPORATION
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
39475761 |
Appl. No.: |
11/565824 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
379/266.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/523 20130101;
H04M 3/4285 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
379/266.01 |
International
Class: |
H04M 3/22 20060101
H04M003/22 |
Claims
1. A method for the enhancement of a call on-hold operation by the
utilization of on-hold calling party feedback information, wherein
the method comprises the steps of: initiating a primary call from
an operator of a communication device; receiving the primary call
at a call center; placing the primary call received at the call
center from the communication device in a primary on-hold status
state by actions at the call center, wherein the on-hold status of
the received primary call further comprises placing the on-hold
received primary call in an incoming call queue at the call center;
placing the primary call in a secondary on-hold status by the
actions of the communication device; maintaining the primary call's
position in the call queue; transmitting a response from the
communication device to the call center upon the call center's
suspension of the on-hold status of the primary call.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing the primary
call in a secondary on-hold status by the actions of the
communication device further comprises the step of a call center
communication interface communicating to the operator of the
communication device the option of the communication device
operator temporarily placing the on-hold primary call in an
inactive status, wherein the on-hold status of the primary call
would not be suspended and the primary call's position in the call
queue would be maintained.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication device operator
can configure the inactive status of the on-hold primary call to be
maintained for a predetermined period of time.
4. The method of claim 3, whereupon the communication device
operator's communicating to the communication interface that
inactive status of the on-hold primary call is rescinded, the
on-hold primary call is actively placed back within the call
queue.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the communication device
operator does not initiate communication with the communication
interface within the predetermined period of time, the on-hold
primary call is disconnected.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting a
response from the communication device operator to the call center
upon the call center's suspension of the on-hold status of the
primary call further comprises the step of the communication device
operator communicating a message to the call center.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message comprises an audio
playback recording.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing the primary
call in a secondary on-hold status by the actions of the
communication device operator is accomplished by the communication
device operator's responding to a voice response unit command.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the primary call is placed in an
inactive status for a predetermined period of time.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication device
operator must transmit a response to the voice response unit to
remove the on-hold primary call from the inactive status.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing the primary
call in a secondary on-hold status by the actions of the
communication device comprises the step of the communication device
operator transmitting a command to a telephone exchange via the
communication device.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the telephone exchange monitors
the on-hold primary call to the call center.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of
automatically reestablishing the connection of the primary call to
the communication device upon the telephone exchange's detection of
a predetermined level of sound coming from the call center.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of the
telephone exchange automatically placing the secondary call into an
on-hold status upon the telephone exchange's detection of a
predetermined level of sound coming from the call center.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to telecommunication device services,
and particularly to methods for enhancing call-hold services.
[0003] 2. Description of Background
[0004] Before our invention whenever an individual placed a call to
a center, there was a great likelihood that the individual's
incoming call to the call center would be placed in a holding queue
upon being received. This particular situation placed the caller at
a disadvantage, since in order to preserve their place in the
incoming call queue, the caller had to stay on the line while their
call was placed on hold. In the event that the caller themselves
received an incoming call, or had to step away from their
telephone, the caller ran the chance that their call would be
answered at the call center by a representative, the representative
who upon finding that the caller is not waiting on the line would
immediately terminate the call.
[0005] Therefore, there exists a need for a solution to the
above-mentioned scenario, wherein the incoming call recipient upon
answering a call where the caller is absent from the line is
properly alerted to the status of the call as being an actively
engaged call.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and
additional advantages are provided through the provision of a
method for the enhancement of a call on-hold operation by the
utilization of on-hold calling party feedback information, wherein
the method comprises the steps of initiating a primary call from an
operator of a communication device, receiving the primary call at a
call center, and placing the primary call received at the call
center from the communication device in a primary on-hold status
state by actions at the call center, wherein the on-hold status of
the received primary call further comprises placing the on-hold
received primary call in an incoming call queue at the call
center.
[0007] Further, the method comprises the steps of placing the
primary call in a secondary on-hold status by the actions of the
communication device, maintaining the primary call's position in
the call queue, and transmitting a response from the communication
device to the call center upon the call center's suspension of the
on-hold status of the primary call.
[0008] Additional features and advantages are realized through the
techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects
of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered
a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the
invention with advantages and features, refer to the description
and to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other
objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent
from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow diagram detailing one example of
the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram detailing one example of
the present invention that is implemented by means of call
center.
[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram detailing one example of
the present invention that is implemented by means of a
communication device possessed by a call initiator.
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram detailing one example of
the present invention that is implemented by the means of a public
telephone exchange.
[0014] The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments
of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of
example with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] One or more exemplary embodiments of the invention are
described below in detail. The disclosed embodiments are intended
to be illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations
therein will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. In
reference to the drawings, like numbers will indicate like parts
continuously throughout the views.
[0016] As mentioned above, aspects of the present invention relate
to the enhancement of call hold status operations for the initiator
of an outgoing telephone call to a call center of a respective
company. For example, typically when a caller places a telephone
call to a customer service or support center, the call is placed in
a call hold queue to wait to be answered by a call center
representative. In the event that the caller either receives an
incoming second call, or has to step away from the phone for an
indeterminable amount of time, the caller runs the risk of not
being on the line when the call center representative picks up the
call. Upon answering the incoming call and finding no party on the
other end of the line, the call center representative will
typically terminate the call. This action results in the caller's
needs not being properly serviced, and the call center of the
company losing the opportunity to build a contented customer
base.
[0017] Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, it will be
seen that in FIG. 1 there is flow chart detailing a method for the
enhancement of a call on-hold operation by the utilization of
on-hold calling party feedback information. At step 105, a primary
call from an operator of a communication device (e.g., telephone
connected by a land line, cell phone, etc . . . ), thereinafter the
call is received at call center incoming call distribution center
(step 110). As a function of the call center's call support
protocol, the incoming call is placed on hold (step 115), and
assigned to an incoming call queue to await being answered by a
call center representative.
[0018] At step 120, the caller is presented with the dilemma of
having to leave the primary call that is on hold in order to attend
to another matter (e.g., to answer a secondary incoming call, or to
temporarily step away from the communication device). If the caller
takes no action to leave the call, then they will continue to wait
in the current hold-status of the call. If the caller must leave
the call to attend to another matter (step 130), the caller's
position in the incoming call queue will be maintained (step
140).
[0019] Further aspects of the present invention allow for the
enhanced call-holding feature of the present invention to be
implemented via the incoming call operational control software at a
call center, by functional operations that are initiated at the
caller's device, or by functional operations that are initiated at
a switch within a telephone company's telephone exchange
station.
[0020] For example, the functional aspects of the present invention
as embodied at a call center can be accomplished by the use of
incoming call queue management software that offers a series of
call response options to a waiting caller. Such options can include
a call callback feature, wherein a caller could request that they
receive a response call from the call center at a future date and
time. Also, the options can include the preference that a waiting
caller temporarily are allowed to suspend their waiting period for
a predetermined amount of time--while still maintaining the
caller's position in the incoming call queue. More specifically,
depending on the call center's configurable call queuing policy,
the caller will be presented by voice response unit with the option
of requesting a fixed number of minutes, or seconds to return to
the call before the call is disconnected. Alternatively, a caller
can be presented with the option of reporting to the system the
length of time that the caller expects to be away from the call. In
either scenario, the caller's position in the incoming call queue
will be maintained, and the call would not be answered in this
period. When the caller returns to the call, the caller either
speaks a voice command, or press a key on the communication device
signaling that the caller is back and wishes to have the
hold-status of the call rescinded, and thus placing the call back
in the active incoming call queue.
[0021] Aspects of this presently explained embodiment are detailed
in FIG. 2. At step 205, a primary call from a caller to the call
center is placed in a secondary on-hold status. At step 210, a call
center communication interface communicates to the communication
device operator the option of the operator temporarily placing the
on-hold primary call in an inactive secondary hold status, wherein
the on-hold status of the primary call would not be suspended, and
the primary call's position in the call queue would be maintained.
At step 210, the operator is presented with the option of
configuring the inactive status of the on-hold primary call to be
maintained for a predetermined period of time.
[0022] The system will periodically check to see if an inactive
hold-call's inactive status has been rescinded (220). If the
communication device operator communicates to the call center
interface that inactive status of the on-hold primary call is
rescinded, the on-hold primary call is actively placed back within
the call queue (step 140). In the event that the communication
device operator does not desire to end the inactive call time
period status of the call, then at step 225 a determination is made
as to whether the requested inactive call status time period of the
call has expired. If the communication device operator does not
initiate communication with the call center communication interface
within the predetermined period of time, the on-hold call is
disconnected (230).
[0023] Another aspect for accomplishing the functional operations
of the present invention relate to the configuring of a
communication device to comprise the function of replaying either a
prerecorded, or custom recorded message to a called party on the
line informing the called party of the imminent return of the
communication device operator to the call, the message further
beseeching the called party to stay on the line. For instance, a
device could be configured with an optional message feature key, or
a preexisting key on the device could be programmed to perform the
described operation upon initiation of the key.
[0024] For example, a caller is waiting online in an incoming call
queue of a call center. Unexpectedly, the caller is called away
from the line (to either answer an incoming call, or to step away
from the calling device). In this instance, the caller can activate
the message playback operation of the communication device by
pressing the appropriate key on the communication device. Upon
activation, the communication device plays back either a
prerecorded message, or a custom recorded message, on the open
line. The message will be repeated until the operation is
deactivated, thus ensuring that the party on the other end of the
line will hear the caller's request to stay on the line. This
aspect of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3, wherein at step
305 a determination is made by the caller to either stay on hold on
a line, or place the primary call in a secondary on-hold status. If
the caller takes no action, then the caller will continue to be
maintained in the incoming call queue of the call center (step
140). If the caller decides to suspend the current call, the
message playback feature is activated, and the playback message is
replayed until deactivated by the communication device
operator.
[0025] A yet another aspect for accomplishing the functional
operations of the present invention relate to configuring a
telephone exchange station of telephone company to perform enhanced
call monitoring operations. For example, a telephone company could
offer an enhanced variant call waiting service to customers. The
enhanced service provides to a caller on a primary line that is on
hold the option of answering a second incoming call on a second
line by way of a conventional call waiting operation. By entering a
predetermined key sequence at the communication device, the
enhanced call waiting service can be activated by the communication
device operator. However, the enhanced operation is further
configured to monitor the primary call line for any significant
transmission of sound (i.e., based upon predetermined sound levels)
on the primary line. Upon the detection of a significant amount of
sound on the primary line, the telephone exchange can be configured
to automatically switch the caller from the secondary calling line
to the primary calling line, thus placing the secondary call on
hold. The parties that are on the secondary line will be notified
by a prerecorded message that the their call line has been
temporarily been put on hold.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 4, at step 405 the communication device
operator activates the enhanced call waiting function at a
telephone exchange by transmitting a command to a telephone
exchange via the communication device. At step 410, a primary call
of the caller is placed on hold, thereafter, at step 415 the
telephone exchange monitors the caller's on-hold primary calls. At
step 420 a determination is made if the sounds detected on the line
(e.g., the voice of a call center representative establishing
communication on the calling line) are measured above predetermined
sound levels. If the determination is made that the sound levels on
the line are above predetermined levels, then the connection of the
primary call to the communication device is automatically
reestablished (step 425).
[0027] The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There
may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or
operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of
the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a
differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of
these variations are considered a part of the claimed
invention.
[0028] While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been
described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art,
both now and in the future, may make various improvements and
enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which
follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper
protection for the invention first described.
* * * * *